Bill banning drinking, cooking in public introduced

31 Jan 201905:20am IST

31 Jan 201905:20am IST

Individual will be fined Rs 2000 and group Rs 10,000

Team Herald

PORVORIM: In a major move, the State government on Wednesday introduced a bill imposing a ban on drinking and cooking in open, violators of which would be fined Rs 2000 (individual) and Rs 10,000 (group) each.

The Bill further directs that no person engaged in the sale of liquor will allow customer to carry bottles/cans containing liquor to tourist places.

“In order to protect and preserve the tourism potential of the tourist places in the State of Goa and to keep such places clean and free from nuisance, the Bill seeks to insert new section 9A in the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, 2001,” the Bill stated.

It says that any person violating the provisions of Sub-section (1) shall be liable to pay a fine of Rs 2000 and in case of group violation a fine of Rs 10,000 to the competent authority or any other officer authorised by the government.

Azgaonkar also introduced an amendment to the Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 2019, making it mandatory for hotels or other tourism business establishments to register with the department under the Act if they want to

provide services online.

“In order to regulate the business of providing service of online booking of hotel rooms, accommodations and other tourist related activity in the tourist areas, the Bill seeks to insert new Chapter IV-B in the Goa, Daman and Diu Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982,” the Bill reads.

The Bill specifies that no person shall provide service of online booking of hotel rooms, other accommodation or any other tourist related activity unless he is registered in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The Bill grants powers to Tourism Department to reject the applications of persons who are convicted under IPC or for acts like prevention of hoarding, smuggling, profiteering, adulteration of food or drugs or corruption.

“If any person contravenes the provisions, he shall be punishable by prescribed authority with fine as specified in Section 22 of the Act,” the Bill mentioned.